Grain-door for cars.



No. 699,336. Patented May 6, I902. W. H. MANN 8:. U. G. MUCK.

GRAIN DOOR F08 CARS.

(Application filod. Dec. 17, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OEET E.

\VILLIAM H. MANN AND ULYSSES G. MUCK, OF DORRANOE, KANSAS.

enAm-oooaFon CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,336, dated May 6,1902.

Application filed December 17,1901. Serial No. 86,266. (No model.)

T (l/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. MANN and ULYSSES Gr. MUCK, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Dorrance, in the county of Russell andState of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrain-Doors for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to grain-doors for cars; and our objects are toproduce a structure of this character which will prevent leakage of thegrain, which can be easily and quickly opened or closed, and which is ofsimple, strong, durable, and cheap construction.

With these objects in View the invention consists in certain novel andpeculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, ashereinafter described and claimed, and in or der that the invention maybe fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure leis a vertical longitudinal section of a car equippedwith a grain-door embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection of the same on line II II, of Fig. 1. 3 is an enlargedhorizontal section to show the locking-rod and the perforated bracket towhich it is locked. Fig. 4 is an exterior side viewof a car to show thecorresponding side of the door.

In the said drawings, 1 designates the car of the usual or any preferredconstruction and provided with the customary door-opening 2 in its side.At one side of the dooropening an inclined track 3 is provided againstthe side wall, said track being provided with a guard flange or rail 4and having its low end contiguous to the door-opening and its high oropposite end closed by the inwardly-projecting portion 4 of said rail 4.At the opposite side of the door-opening is a vertical retaining-strip 5of acute-angular form in cross-section, so as to provide a V- shapedgroove, and bent at its upper end to form a flange 6, closing the upperend of said groove. The door 7, normally bridging said door-opening, istapered at its front end, as at 8, so as to fit snugly in said V-shapedgroove, the flange of the retaining-strip overlapping and thereforetending to hold that end of the door depressed. At its opposite Fig.

end the door is provided with a stub-shaft 9, which projects outwardlyover track 3 and its flange 4 and carries a roller to run upon saidtrack and be held reliably in engagement therewith by said guard flangeor rail.

To clamp the door tightly in position and therefore guard againstleakage of grain, a vertical rod 11, provided with one or more cams oreccentrics. 12, is journaled at the lower end in a plate 13, set in thefloor of the car and at its upper end in a bracket 14, secured to thecar above the door. The upper end of said rod is provided with a crankarm or handle 15, by which it is turned, and said crank arm or handle isprovided with a perforation 16, adapted to register with perforations 17in said bracket in order that a pin 18 may simultaneously engage theperforation of the crank arm or handle and one of the perforations 17 ofthe bracket, so as to lock the rod with the eccentrics or cams disposedso as to clamp the door outwardly against the car or leave it free to bemoved. The pin 18 is attached by a chain 19 to the car-frame in order toavoid being misplaced or lost. It being obvious that the frictionalaction of the eccentrics or cams would otherwise soon render them functionless, because of the cavities worn in the door, the latter at theproper points are provided with metallic Wear-plates 20, as shownclearly in Figs. 1 and 2.

In practice it is apparent that when the door is clamped in position, asshown in Fig. 2, there is no possibility of it working upward againstgravitation, the weight of the grain, the overlapping flange (3 of theretainingstrip, and the eccentrics or cams 12 engaging the recessedwear-plates 20 3 nor isthere any chance of the door being released,because the pin 18 by engagement with the perforations of crank-arm 15and bracket 14 prevents any accidental movement of the clamping-rod.

To discharge the grain after the outside doors (not shown) are opened,the person in charge reaches through opening 2 and removes pin 18. Hethen pulls crank arm or handle outwardly or toward the door-opening, soas to swing the cams or eccentrics from the position shown in full tothe position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and thus relieves the doorof the clamping pressure applied by said cams or eccentrics. He thensticks a crowbar (not shown) into cavity 21, formed in the outer lowercorner of the door contiguous to the clamping mechanism, and

to relieve the door of undue wear a metallic plate 22 reinforces it atsuch point. By the proper manipulation of this crowbar he tilts the doorto the position shown in dotted lines, Figs. 1 and at, the overlappingflange 6 preventing the forward end of the door from rising. A largequantity of grain of course begins to fall as soon as the door is priedup in this manner, and thus relieves the door of sufficient pressure atits inner side to enable the attendant to shove the door rearwardly, theroller 9 obviously traveling upon the track and eliminating friction ina large degree, the forward end of the door dragging lightly upon thefloor. When the door is fully opened, it may be so secured by causingthe engagement of its forward wearplates 20 with the eccentrics or cams12 by the proper manipulation of the rod, as hereinbefore explained. Toclose the door, the cams or eccentrics are disengaged from thewear-plates and the door slid forwardly upon the track until it isarrested by the engagement of its front end by the retaining-strip, thebeveled front end of the door facilitating its reengagement, as will bereadily understood.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced agrain-door for cars which embodies the features of advantage enumeratedas desirable in the statement of invention, and while the preferredembodiment of the same is shown and described it is to be understoodthat it is susceptible of change in minor particulars without departingfrom the principle of construction involved.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- v 1. In a grain-door for cars, thecombination with a door-opening, a retaining-strip at one side of theopening, an inclined track at the other side, and a roller mounted onsaid door and engaging said track; of a vertical rod havingits lower endjournaled in a plate sunk in the floor of said car and provided withcams or eccentrics, a bracket holding the upper end'of said rod andprovided with perforations, a perforated crank-arm secured to the upperend of said rod, a pin for simultaneously engaging the perforation ofsaid crankarm and one of the perforations of said bracket, andwear-plates on the door opposite said cams, all as and for the purposeset forth.

2. In a grain-door for cars, the combination with a door-opening, aretaining-strip at one side of the opening, an inclined track at theother side, a guard-rail along its length, a door bridging said openingand engaging said retaining-strip, a stub-shaft mounted on the uppercorner of said door, and a roller mounted on said stub-shaft andengaging said track; of a vertical rod having its lower end journaled ina plate sunk in the floor of said car and provided with cams oreccentrics, a bracket holding the upper end of said rod, a crank-armsecured to the upper end of said rod, and Wear-plates on the dooropposite said cams, all as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

\VILLIAM I-I. MANN. ULYSSES G. MUOK.

WVitnesses:

A. L. EYLER, C. F. ESLINGER.

